Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to nearly 320 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its count of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. surpassed 2024. Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the U.S. How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico? Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since last week, bringing the total to 279 across 11 counties — most in West Texas. Two more people were hospitalized, for a total of 36. New Mexico health officials announced three new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 38. Most of the cases are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, and the other cases are in Eddy County. Oklahoma’s state health department reported two probable cases of measles last week, saying they are “associated” with the West Texas and…

Conservative Republicans Christi Craddick and Don Huffines announced their candidacies for Texas Comptroller on Friday after the state’s current comptroller, Glenn Hegar, was named sole finalist for chancellor of the Texas A&M System. Craddick is the current chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas and Huffines is a former state senator who ran for governor in 2022. Christi Craddick Craddick won her third six-year term on the three-member Railroad Commission of Texas last November. She was first elected to the state’s oldest regulatory agency in 2012 and won reelection in 2018 and 2024. “Serving for more than a decade as Railroad Commissioner has uniquely prepared me to help Texas build upon its momentum as the economic engine of the United States,” Craddick said. “Throughout my tenure at the Commission, we have managed our work with efficiency, transparency, and common sense, reflecting the bedrock principles the Texas economy has been built upon, and our commitment to the principles of a free market has helped our economy thrive. At the heart of all good government, good business and fiscal responsibility is one simple fact: Don’t spend money you don’t have.” Craddick of Midland said public service is in her blood and that…

Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedy’s limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination, died Friday. He was 93. Hill died at home in Belvedere, California, his publisher said. A cause of death was not given. Although few may recognize his name, the footage of Hill, captured on Abraham Zapruder’s chilling home movie of the assassination, provided some of the most indelible images of Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Hill received Secret Service awards and was promoted for his actions that day, but for decades blamed himself for Kennedy’s death, saying he didn’t react quickly enough and would gladly have given his life to save the president. “If I had reacted just a little bit quicker. And I could have, I guess,” a weeping Hill told Mike Wallace on CBS’ 60 Minutes in 1975, shortly after he retired at age 43 at the urging of his doctors. “And I’ll live with that to my grave.” It was only in recent years that Hill said he was able to finally start putting the assassination behind…

The Texas Senate sent two bills to the Texas House on Thursday that will cut property taxes by again increasing the Homestead Exemption for property owners. Senate Bill 4 and Senate Joint Resolution 2 were unanimously passed 30-0 Thursday. They would raise the exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 for taxes paid to public schools, saving homeowners an average of $363.44 on their annual property tax bill. The exemption would be $150,000 for seniors. Because the increase would require an amendment to the state constitution, the bills must be approved by 2/3 of the Texas House and then Texas voters in November before they can go into effect for this tax year. This Homestead Exemption would apply retroactively to 2025 tax bills if passed by voters. A higher exemption for taxes paid to public schools means public schools already strapped for cash would receive less money. However, there’s protection for school districts in SB 4 that says the state would make up any shortfall should a school district have losses in tax revenue because of the higher exemption. “Today, the Texas Senate delivered a win for homeowners statewide. By passing SB4 and SJR2, we are putting real dollars back into the…

When a storm hits the Texas coast during the summer hurricane season, state Sen. Borris Miles knows among the first calls he’ll get is from a constituent letting him know power is down at an independent living complex, shutting off air conditioning for older Texans. “‘Senator! You got these people here,’“ he said, recalling a plea from a caller when Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to an assisted living facility last summer. “‘What are we going to do?’’’ Miles, a Houston Democrat, is thankful for residents like these. But as the number of storms have increased, so has the frustration for southeast Texas lawmakers who want better solutions. That’s why Miles and four other coastal lawmakers have filed at least six bills that would require nursing homes, assisted living facilities and even some apartments that market to the 55 and older set, to have emergency generators on site. In Texas, there are 1,193 nursing homes serving more than 86,000 patients and 2,004 assisted living facilities housing 49,574 residents. Miles’ House Bill 732 would require certain low-income housing for seniors living independently to have backup power. In recent years, Miles has seen more of these facilities being built in Houston. Often living in multistory apartment…

Three East Texas men were found guilty of fraud after conspiring to submit false federal loan applications to financial institutions, including the U.S. Small Business Administration, stealing millions of dollars, the Department of Justice says. According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Olamide Olatayo Bello, 47, of McKinney, Olabode Thomas Ajibola, 54, of Humble, and Dumbor Josephine Baribe, 52, of Wylie, were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day trial on Jan. 16. Eight other individuals involved in the scheme pleaded guilty before the trial. According to information presented in court, Bello, Ajibola and Baribe planned to submit false applications for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the Payback Protection Program (PPP). These forgivable loans were authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted in March 2020 to provide financial assistance to small businesses for job retention and financing. Following a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, the defendants could face up to 20 years in federal prison at their sentence hearing. This case was investigated by the Department of Interior, the Office of Inspector General, the Small…